Curriculum

The Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital (HMSL) Athletic Training Residency is a post-professional residency. Our Athletic Training residency at Houston Methodist is a 12-month program of intense clinical and didactic experiences in both a hospital-based outpatient facility focused specifically on sports rehabilitation and local high schools assisting with athletic venue coverage. The program starts in July of every year.

Athletic Venue Coverage/Outreach
Residents will be assigned to a local high school to treat athletes and work with a seasoned athletic trainer to allow the resident to integrate knowledge gained from all content areas and to gain experience in the management of orthopedic and sports related injuries. Residents will also independently cover middle school football games to enhance the sports medicine continuum of care in our community.

Clinical Mentoring
1-on-1 mentoring of a patient with an orthopedic- or sports-certified specialist and fellowship-trained manual therapist to advance the resident’s skill in evaluation and treatment of orthopedic and sports-related injuries, including examination, evaluation, diagnosis, prognosis, intervention, and return to sport.

Research & Investigation
Directed research on specific patient conditions that will expose the resident to the most current evidence-based approaches in evaluation and treatment of orthopedic and sports-related injuries. Residents will develop and present case studies on specific patients and conditions, and participate in literature reviews and general faculty and resident discussions.

Interprofessional Collaboration
Residents will work alongside sports medicine and orthopedic surgeons on the sidelines, in addition to observing athlete doctor visits and surgery.  This provides residents with a universal exposure to athlete care from injury to return to sport.

Didactics
Weekly faculty lectures on anatomy, movement biomechanics, examination process, differential diagnosis, medical and clinical intervention, prevention strategies, and return to activity of region specific orthopedic conditions.

Lab
Weekly participation in non-patient mentoring activities to increase the residents’ knowledge and motor skills in manual examination and intervention of orthopedic and sports related injuries.